Scientists in Hong Kong say they have developed a method to turn lunar soil into water, oxygen and fuel. The innovation could reduce the need to ship supplies to the Moon and support future deep space missions.

A team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong has created a solar-powered technology that extracts water from lunar soil and uses it to generate oxygen and chemical fuel. The breakthrough may help sustain human life on the Moon and cut the high costs of transporting essentials from Earth.

The study, published in the journal Joule, notes that sending just one gallon of water to space costs about $83,000. An astronaut typically needs about four gallons each day.

Lead researcher Lu Wang said they never fully imagined the "magic" that lunar soil possessed. Still, the Moon's harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, radiation and low gravity, remain challenges for large-scale use.

The system cannot produce enough from astronauts' exhaled carbon dioxide alone to meet all needs. However, researchers say it is a promising step toward sustainable lunar exploration.

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